Fulcrum valve dispensing container

ABSTRACT

A storage container allows a measured quantity of the freeflowing material to be dispensed. In operation, a fulcrum valve in the container closes flow of material between storage and dispensing sections wherein the closing valve acts as a fulcrum to open an outlet from the container located in the dispensing section.

lll'nitenl Marten atet [151 aanaam DelGrraW ll elai 2% W72 [54] lFlULICHtUIl/ll VALVE UIISIPLENSHNG 3,179,301 4/l965 Lucht ..222/2l3 @(DNTAHN RFORElGN PATENTS 0R APPUCATIONS 72 l em William E. lllneGraw D b ,C n l 1or my 0 430,969 8/1967 Switzerland ..222/207 [73] Assignee: GeneralFoods Cornnration, White Plains,

NY. Prirmry Examiner-Stanley 1H1. Tollberg 22 Filed: Mini. 13 E970Allsistam ExaminerJohn P. Shannon, .lr.

Attorney-Thomas V. Sullivan, Andrew G. Golian and PP 19,361 Michael J.Tully [s2 lJ.S.Cl .222/20'1, 222/21a222/449, 1 WWMCT 222/452 A storagecontainer allows a measured quantity of the freegg 3 g flowing materialto be dispensed. lln operation, a fulcrum valve 1 m mm: l 21 in thecontainer closes flow of material between storage and 56] megmmms (meddispensing SBClllOllS wherein the closmg valve acts as a fulcrum to openan outlet from the container located in the dispensing section.

133 Claima, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEB29 I972 W f I In WW! I Ill/ 1 IINVIz'N'l'OR.

BY WILLIAM E, DE GRAW y ATTORNEY FUL Clilllll l VALVE lDllSlPlEl ldllNG(ZUNTAINEIR BACMGRUUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention deals withthe dispensing of a measured quantity of free-flowing material such asliquid or powder, or a combination of the two materials. The presentinvention relies upon the concept that a fulcrum valve, located in thecontainer, allows a normal free-flowing of material between storage anddispensing sections, but on closure of the fulcrum valve, an outlet inthe dispensing section opens such that a measured quantity of materialescapes.

The prior art is replete with dispensing devices wherein valve means areemployed. However, the prior art suffers from many disadvantages,including difficulty of operation, clogging of the valve means andexcessive cost in manufacture.

Tro er, US. Pat. No. 2,219,604, issued Oct. 29, 194-0, is directed tothe dispensing of tooth paste, shaving cream, lotions and similarsubstances. His dispensing device is operated by the application andrelease of pressure upon a resilient member which draws material intothe dispensing device from a storage container and the material isexpelled therefrom through a discharge opening in the device. However,as the patentee sets forth, his device is, in reality, a pump whereinfinger pressure is required to prime the pump as well as force thedischarge material from a hollow member with two integral chambers.Thus, the collapse of the resilient member by finger pressure causesmaterial to be forced from the device.

Crane, US. Pat. No. 2,438,854, issued Nov. 22, 1949, is directed to adevice for dispensing comminutecl materials such as salt. The dispensingcontainer is normally hermetically sealed against moisture. In use,yieldable arm portions on the outside and on opposite sides of thecontainer opening are pressed against the container to facilitatedistension of an opening for removal of a portion of the comminutedcontents in the dispenser by gravity.

Willets, lr., US. Pat. No. 3,224,650, issued Dec. 21, 1965, teaches acombination container and metering device for use with dry granular orpowdered material and for dispensing measured amounts of such material.The patentee employs a fulcrum valve, but the patented device suffersfrom disadvantages in that a doubled walled vessel is needed and thatthe patented device is limited only to employment of dry granular orpowdered material. The container comprises an outer shell and an innershell, both shells made of resilient, synthetic organic polymer. Thefunction of the outer shell is for supporting ribs which act as afulcrum valve as well as for support of a single chambered inner shellwhich acts as both a storage area and a dispensing area. In operation,ribs making up the fulcrum valve means are pressed together to contactand close a portion of the inner shell. At the same time, the ribs,acting as a fulcrum, allow an outlet at the bottom of the inner shell toopen and dispense a measured amount of material. When pressure isreleased from the ribs, the inner shell outlet closes, allowingcomminuted material to flow towards the closed outlet inner shell andreplenish the bottom section of the inner shell.

BRIEF SUMMARY UP THE TNVENTION A free-flowing material is dispensed in ameasured quantity from the fulcrum dispenser container of thisinvention. The invention allows continued additions of a uniformmeasured quantity in employing the dispensing device. This device isstructured such that it contains a storage section with a separatedispensing section. Between the storage and dispensing sections is afulcrum valve means, which in normal operation, is in an open positionto allow a free flow of material between the two sections. In operation,pressure is applied external of the storage section, the fulcrum valvecloses, which in turn forces an outlet in the dispensing section toopen. The material, upon opening of the outlet, flows from the dischargesection in a measured amount. Upon release of external pressure in thestorage area, the outlet in the dispensing section ill closes and thefulcrum valve opens to its normal position. This opening of the fulcrumvalve allows the free-flowing material from the storage section to beintroduced into the dispensing section. Thus, in operation, continuedcycles result in dispensing of the material, the external. pressure inthe storage area dispensing a measured quantity of material withpressure release resulting in refilling of the dispensing section.

This invention is considered an improvement over il/illets, J r., US.Pat. No. 3,224,650, because a fulcrum valve is used in both inventions.However, the operation of the fulcrum valve differs, since in Willets,Jr., the valve means are external to storage and dispensing sectionswhile in the present case the valve means internally separate thestorage and dispensing sections. in the present case, many new distinctadvantages exist which lend to the unobvious novelty. For example, thedispensing container may be used with any free-flowing material, mostspecifically, free flowing powders and liquids. An additional advantageof the container is that it may he inexpensively manufactured at a lowunit unit cost. The container may be molded into a one-piece device byuse of suitable resilient materials such as tlierrnosetting andthermoplastic materials. An additional advantage of the presentinvention is that few moving parts are employed such that case of operation is obtained as well as essentially foolproof operation. With properfluidity of dispensed material, no clogging or malfunctioning of thedispenser should occur.

DETMLED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES AND INVENTION Objects, advantages andapplication of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the drawings in the operation of thedispensing device:

IFIGS. l through 4 are front sectional views of the dispensing containerin operation.

FIG. l is a front sectional view of the container in a charged positionready for use.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the container when external pressureis initially applied.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view of the container with the device inoperation dispensing a measured quantity of material.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional view of the: device after use and in processof refilling the dispensing section.

Referring to the figures shown in the drawings, the invention will bedescribed in specific detail. The body llll comprises an upper section112 which is a storage section, and a lower section l3 which is adispensing section. The body may be made of any flexible resilientmaterial. The more suitable materials may be therrnosetting orthermoplastic materials which are well known in the art. Suitablematerials, include synthetic rubbers, nylon, polyethylene,polypropylene, etc. However, any material, including metal, may beemployed as long as it possesses resilient, flexing qualities. Thestorage and dispensing sections are separated by fulcrum valve means 5which separate the storage section from the dispensing section.Illustrative of the fulcrum valve means is a projecting member or rib.Preferably, this projecting rib has a concave portion '7 and a convexportion ti which insure complete sealing when the valve is employed.Normally, the fulcrum valve is in an open position so that afree-flowing material is introduced between the storage and dispensingsections. At one end of the dispensing section is a normally closedoutlet 9. This outlet may comprise a concave portion ill and convexportion l2 to insure sealing against leakage.

For ease of operation, on the external surface of the storage section ofthe body may be gripping means to facilitate ease of operation of thedisclosed invention. Such gripping means are illustrated as ll, whereinindentations in the body wall are shown. However, instead ofindentations, projections from the wall may be made which alsofacilitate ease of operation.

For operation, the container is initially filled through an inlet (notshown) preferably in the storage section. The free flowing material thatis introduced into the container fills both the storage and dispensingareas, since the fulcrum valve is in normal open operation. Thus, thefree-flowing material completely fills the dispensing section of thecontainer. For operation, external pressure is applied to the body inthe storage section so that the fulcrum valve may be operated whichresults in a measured quantity of free-flowing material being dispensed.External pressure on area 21 initially closes the fulcrum valve 5 asshown in FIG. 2. This closing of the fulcrum valve prevents a free flowof material between the storage and dispensing sections. Furtherpressure on area 21, shown in FIG. 3, causes a lever effect wherein theclosing of the fulcrum valve causes the outlet 9 in the dispensingsection B3 to open. Thus, the material in the dispensing section flowsin a measured quantity from the container.

Upon the release of external pressure on areas 21, shown in FIG. 4, theoutlet 9 in the dispensing section closes and the fulcrum valve 5 opensto its normal position. Material contained in the storage section 12flows through the open fulcrum valve to fill the dispensing section 13.Thus, the dispensing container may be subsequently used again to releasea measured quantity of the free flowing material.

From above description of the invention, it may be seen that the fulcrumvalve and its operation is critical to the disclosed invention. it willbe realized that fulcrum valve means, as employed herein, refers to asupport member designed to act as a lever wherein the support memberdefines an opening. Pressure external and adjacent to the support memberdefining the opening forces the support member to close the opening.Additionally, external pressure on the support member causes the supportto act as a lever to operate an additional separate closure which servesas a dispenser outlet. Thus, pressure external to the fulcrum supportmember serves two separate valve functions; namely, closing the openingwhich the fulcrum support member defines, and opening a closuredownstream to the fulcrum support member.

in the description of the apparatus, pressure to operate the dispenseris applied external to the storage section (as area 22), since theamount of pressure is minimized to operate and perform all functions ofthe fulcrum valve means. In other words, at least a component of theexternal pressure should be at the storage section. In the instantinvention, the operation of the disclosed apparatus differs over priorart dispensers employing fulcrum valve means. Most specifically, theprior art drawn to Willets, J11, US. Pat. No. 3,224,650, requiresexternal pressure at his ribs which make up his fulcrum valve means. Thereason this pressure is applied directly on the ribs of Willets, Jr. isthat his fulcrum valve means are external to the storage and dispensingareas. in the instant invention, the fulcrum valve means separate thestorage and dispensing areas internally and not externally, therefore,operation of the ful crum valve differs.

in the description of the apparatus of the disclosed invention, gravityhas been employed both in filling the dispensing section and allowing ameasured quantity of material to escape this dispensing section.However, it is within the scope of this invention to employ thefree-flowing material in the storage section under a slight amount ofpressure. Thus, the pressurized material may be employed without theutilization of gravity. The upper limit of pressurized material utilizedis dependent upon the tightness of fit of both the dispensing valvemeans and the closure means in the dispensing section.

While there has been described what is a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art thatvarious changes, additions and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the in vention. For example, membrane meansmay seal the closed outlet in the dispensing section prior to initialuse. It is, therefore, considered that the following claims cover allchanges and modifications that fall within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. A container for dispensing measured amounts of freeflowing materialscomprising a hollow body of resilient materia1 having a single walledconstruction and divided into two sections: a first storage section; asecond dispensing section; a normally closed outlet in said dispensingsection wherein w d closed outlet is an integral part of said hollowbody; and fulcrum valve means in the interior of said hollow bodybetween the storage and dispensing sections, said fulcrum valve meanscomprising ribs protruding from the hollow body, said ribs adapted tocontact and separate material contained in the container but in a normalopen position allowing a free flow of material between said storage anddispensing section, said ribs closing when pressure is applied on anexternal surface of said hollow body in the storage section wherein theclosing of the ribs acts as a fulcrum valve resulting in the opening ofthe outlet in the dispensing section.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein said ribs contain concave and convexportions to insure sealing of said fulcrum valve means upon theapplication of external pressure on said storage section of the hollowbody.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of saidprotruding ribs facing the storage section slopes away from the sidewallof said storage section.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said outlet in the dispensingsection has concave and convex portions to insure sealing when theoutlet is in a closed position.

5. The container of claim 41 wherein the area surrounding said outletslopes away from the sidewalls of said dispensing section to insure thatall material from said dispensing area escapes upon the opening of saidoutlet.

6. The container of claim ll wherein said dispensing section is ofsubstantially smaller volume than said storage section.

7. The container of claim 1 wherein means are provided on the externalcontainer body of the first storage area for gripping said container andfor operating said fulcrum valve means.

8. A container for dispensing measured amounts of freeflowing materials,comprising a free-standing, single-walled body with a first sectioncontaining a wall wherein the exterior of the wall is self-supportablewith the wall interior defining a chamber, said chamber adapted to storematerials such that said materials contact said wall interior; a secondsection defining a dispensing area, said second section comprising awall wherein the exterior of the wall is self-supportable, the exteriorof the second section wall being contiguous with the first wall sectionsuch that the exterior walls function as a unit for support to make theexterior of said container; an outlet in said second section, saidoutlet being closed without the application of external pressure; andfulcrum valve means, said fulcrum means comprising ribs protruding fromthe wall interior of said container, said ribs defining an openingbetween the interior of said first and second sections, said ribs actingto seal the interior between the first and second sections when pressureis applied at the exterior walls of said first section such that saidribs close wherein the closure acts as a fulcrum to allow the outlet inthe second section to open and dispense a measured amount of thefree-flowing material.

9. The container of claim 8 wherein said protruding ribs contain concaveand convex portions to insure sealing of said fulcrum means upon theapplication of external pressure.

10. The container of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of saidprotruding ribs facing the first section slopes away from said firstsection.

11. The container of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of containersurrounding the outlet slopes toward said outlet to insure that allmaterial contained in said dispensing section may escape.

12. The container of claim 8 wherein said storage area is ofsubstantially larger volume than said dispensing area.

13. The container of claim 8 wherein means are provided on the externalcontainer body of said first storage section for gripping said containerand for operating said fulcrum valve means.

1. A container for dispensing measured amounts of free-flowing materialscomprising a hollow body of resilient material having a single walledconstruction and divided into two sections: a first storage section; asecond dispensing section; a normally closed outlet in said dispensingsection wherein said closed outlet is an integral part of said hollowbody; and fulcrum valve means in the interior of said hollow bodybetween the storage and dispensing sections, said fulcrum valve meanscomprising ribs protruding from the hollow body, said ribs adapted tocontact and separate material contained in the container but in a normalopen position allowing a free flow of material between said storage anddispensing section, said ribs closing when pressure is applied on anexternal surface of said hollow body in the storage section wherein theclosing of the ribs acts as a fulcrum valve resulting in the opening ofthe outlet in the dispensing section.
 2. The container of claim 1wherein said ribs contain concave and convex portions to insure sealingof said fulcrum valve means upon the application of external pressure onsaid storage section of the hollow body.
 3. The container of claim 1wherein at least a portion of said protruding ribs facing the storagesection slopes away from the sidewall of said storage section.
 4. Thecontainer of claim 1 wherein said outlet in the dispensing section hasconcave and convex portions to insure sealing when the outlet is in aclosed position.
 5. The container of claim 4 wherein the areasurrounding said outlet slopes away from the sidewalls of saiddispensing section to insure that all material from said dispensing areaescapes upon the opening of said outlet.
 6. The container of claim 1wherein said dispensing section is of substantially smaller volume thansaid storage section.
 7. The container of claim 1 wherein means areprovided on the external container body of the first storage area forgripping said container and for operating said fulcrum valve means.
 8. Acontainer for dispensing measured amounts of free-flowing materials,comprising a free-standing, single-walled body with a first sectioncontaining a wall wherein the exterior of the wall is self-supportablewith the wall interior defining a chamber, said chamber adapted to storematerials such that said materials contact said wall interior; a secondsection defining a dispensing area, said second section comprising awall wherein the exterior of the wall is self-supportable, the exteriorof the second section wall being contiguous with the first wall sectionsuch that the exterior walls function as a unit fOr support to make theexterior of said container; an outlet in said second section, saidoutlet being closed without the application of external pressure; andfulcrum valve means, said fulcrum means comprising ribs protruding fromthe wall interior of said container, said ribs defining an openingbetween the interior of said first and second sections, said ribs actingto seal the interior between the first and second sections when pressureis applied at the exterior walls of said first section such that saidribs close wherein the closure acts as a fulcrum to allow the outlet inthe second section to open and dispense a measured amount of thefree-flowing material.
 9. The container of claim 8 wherein saidprotruding ribs contain concave and convex portions to insure sealing ofsaid fulcrum means upon the application of external pressure.
 10. Thecontainer of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said protruding ribsfacing the first section slopes away from said first section.
 11. Thecontainer of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of container surroundingthe outlet slopes toward said outlet to insure that all materialcontained in said dispensing section may escape.
 12. The container ofclaim 8 wherein said storage area is of substantially larger volume thansaid dispensing area.
 13. The container of claim 8 wherein means areprovided on the external container body of said first storage sectionfor gripping said container and for operating said fulcrum valve means.